


Hunting For Answers

by burntotears



Category: Inheritance Cycle - Paolini
Genre: Book 1 Spoilers, First Kiss, M/M, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-11-23
Updated: 2008-11-23
Packaged: 2017-10-03 06:36:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/burntotears/pseuds/burntotears
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Murtagh and Eragon are left 'alone' inside the Varden's fortress, questions will be raised that might not have favorable answers. (Spoilers for first book).</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hunting For Answers

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this after the scene where Murtagh and Eragon are locked up when they go to the Varden for the first time. Written on 11/23/2008 with no proof reading. Spoilers for first book.

Murtagh stirred awake in the middle of the night to find Eragon sitting bolt upright near Saphira, eyes focused on the stone wall near Murtagh's head. His eyes did not waver from their hold on the wall, even as Murtagh sat up and looked at him. He wanted to say something, but Eragon spoke abruptly and Murtagh ceased his tongue.

"I have no reason to trust you, if you consider the number of secrets you've kept from me this entire time." Eragon still did not look at him and it made Murtagh uneasy.

"I know that," he answered; his voice came out more wavered than he expected. He felt sheepish next to the intensity in Eragon's stare, but he still held strongly to his pride.

"I still do though," Eragon said after a moment.

Murtagh was taken by surprise and before he could stop himself, he gasped out, "Why?"

Eragon finally broke gaze with the wall and looked into Murtagh's face. "I don't know."

Murtagh remained silent for a while, staring back at Eragon with bewilderment. They seemed to be born of different worlds, this dragon rider of good heart and moral soundness and he, the son of the last Forsworn and enemy to the Riders of old, yet here they were. "Thank you," Murtagh muttered eventually and Eragon laughed. Considering all they had gone through hours before, Murtagh was taken aback by this reaction and his brow furrowed in confusion. "What is so funny?" Eragon stood up and walked toward Murtagh, taking his place against the wall next to him.

"It isn't as though I distrusted you from the beginning, you know. You saved my life, you rescued me from prison, and regardless of what you say about your conscious, it was a loyal thing to do. I can't exactly turn my back on you because you were born to a madman."

Murtagh felt his ears turn pink and he looked at Eragon in true amazement. "You can. Everyone else does. Why don't you?"

Eragon laughed again. "Well if I had done that, I wouldn't be alive now, would I?"

"True, but you did not know then. Nothing binds you to me now besides pride. Many men have given up such a thing in the face of fear or a better offer. You have the chance now to turn your back on me and walk freely so why do you not take it?"

Eragon's smile pulled down at the corner of his mouth, developing a frown as quickly as his smile. "You think that little of me?"

Murtagh's face lit with acknowledgement of how his words came across and he stammered to try and recoil them. "No! That is not it, just... I don't know!" He looked down at his hands, ashamed to have brought such feelings into Eragon, someone he'd grown to trust and admire throughout their journey. "I do not deserve your loyalty, Eragon. I do not deserve anyone's. My lineage shows this."

Eragon's hand touched Murtagh's knee, which made him look up into the other man's face. "Lineage does not determine your character, Murtagh. You have chosen your path and it is good; your lineage cannot change that fact."

Murtagh looked at Eragon's hand which still rested on his knee and then back at his face. He had never heard anyone say anything like that to him before and even if they had, he probably would not have believed them. But coming from Eragon, he knew it was nothing but truth. Without thought, he leaned forward toward Eragon, his face only inches away from his friend's before his courage faltered and he halted his movements. Negative thoughts flooded his mind then and he was going to pull back, but Eragon moved forward and captured his lips before he had a chance to move away. The thoughts that overtook Murtagh's mind vanished in an instant and all that he could focus on now was the feel of Eragon's lips against his own and the happiness and calm that this interaction brought him. It was not long before Murtagh leaned into the kiss, pressing his lips harder against Eragon's and snaking his hand around the other man's head. Eragon's hair was matted with sweat and dirt, but Murtagh did not care. He leaned forward, pressing Eragon's back against the wall and pushing his tongue forward questioningly against Eragon's lips. Without hesitation Eragon's mouth opened to him, his tongue pushing forward against Murtagh's in a fervor Murtagh did not expect. Eragon's hand moved from Murtagh's knee to the front of his tunic, pulling at the cloth with an eager hand. Murtagh now felt overwhelmingly hot and pulled back from Eragon's mouth, slightly frightened. Eragon did not release the front of his tunic, but stared into Murtagh's face, his breath coming in short gasps. Slowly Eragon moved his hand down to the hem of Murtagh's tunic and with a questioning glance, pulled it up slightly to reveal some of Murtagh's lean stomach.

There was a moment where Murtagh wanted to derail this moment, to turn and run away and never look back, but Eragon's eyes gave him strength to hold onto it. He reached to the sides of his tunic and pulled it upward over his head, revealing his naked chest to Eragon once more. This time it was not surprise that he saw in Eragon's face, but wonderment. Eragon stood and repositioned himself behind Murtagh, raising a tentative hand toward Murtagh's scar. He began to trace it slowly from his shoulder down to his hip. Murtagh felt his skin warm rapidly under Eragon's touch and his ears grew pink with embarrassment at his disfigurement. He actually yelped in surprise when he felt Eragon's lips on his right shoulder where his scar began. He felt Eragon retreat and berated himself for being so jumpy.

"Did I hurt you?" Eragon spoke quietly behind Murtagh, suddenly losing the courage to look at his face.

Murtagh shook his head and turned, kneeling in front of his friend. "No, I was surprised. I'm sorry."

Eragon was going to say something in reply but Murtagh was overtaken by a hunger he did not fully recognize and he pressed his lips hard against Eragon's once more. There was no protest from the other man, not even when Murtagh pushed him back against the stone floor and hovered above him. He pushed a hand into Eragon's side roughly, pressing against his side that had been exposed from the movement. He was surprised how warm Eragon's skin felt under his hand.

A few minutes passed along this route, the two doing nothing but kissing each other and touching skin that was available. They were equally inexperienced, so neither made any advancement on the other. It was not until Eragon shifted under Murtagh's weight that the atmosphere around them changed.

Eragon's legs moved apart and Murtagh's weight fell into Eragon's middle, pressing their erections together harshly, but pleasurably. An icy hot lightening shot up Murtagh's thighs and back until the hair on the back of his neck stood on end. Momentarily they froze, unsure what to do next and what was acceptable. The feelings stirring in Murtagh's stomach urged him forward and his hips moved in a short rotation against Eragon's as if to test the reaction from both. They moaned in unison and Eragon pulled Murtagh's face back to his own and kissed him softly, simultaneously pressing up against Murtagh's middle.

This was all the affirmation Murtagh needed and he met Eragon's thrust with his own, rotating his hips alternately against Eragon's so their erections rubbed together in a mixture of warmth and wetness. Eragon's lips met with Murtagh's shoulder again, this time wetter and hungrier and with no surprised reaction from Murtagh. He leaned against the feel of Eragon's mouth, tilting his head as the man sucked gingerly at his skin.

Eragon began to breath harshly against Murtagh's skin and his head lulled back, mouth open wide with labored breathing. Murtagh was frightened for a second that he was not well, but he felt the beginning of an orgasm ripping through his body and washing his mind of worry. He leaned his face into the crook of Eragon's neck as he reached climax, his hips rocking more roughly against Eragon's to drag out the feeling as long as possible. Eragon was spent before him, but it was only seconds before the aftermath rippled through his muscles and his movements slowed and eventually stopped. For a moment they lay still together, Eragon's head still leaning back and Murtagh breathing hotly into his neck.

Eragon was the first to move; his hand snaked behind Murtagh's back, palm pressing flat against his back. He turned his head and kissed Murtagh's hair and whispered softly, "Thank you," against Murtagh's head.

It was Murtagh who laughed this time, pulling his head back and looking down at Eragon in amusement. "My actions were not entirely unselfish so there is no need to thank me."

A smirk pulled at the corner of Eragon's lips in reply. "Regardless, it would not have been as fantastic without you."

Murtagh smiled, but did not reply for some time. Then he said, "Thank you, Eragon. For believing me."

Eragon nodded. "You are my friend and I would trust you with my life, Murtagh. Again, if it were necessary." He kissed Murtagh once more and they fell asleep soon after.

-fin-


End file.
